Innovation and Partnerships Assistant (Graduate Trainee)

We are looking for an outstanding graduate trainee to support work on developing and deepening United Purpose’s new organisational strategy to harness disruptive innovation to help poor communities around the world empower themselves and defeat poverty – and learn the ropes at the same time.

We are searching for a graduate who is hungry for the chance to develop new skills, gain experience and be given real responsibility to learn the ropes while also helping make the world a better place; who will be given plenty of support and opportunities to learn if they are prepared to roll up their sleeves and work hard.

The trainee will research the landscape and monitor developments in innovation in international development to better position UP’s contribution - through work such as researching and writing internal briefings, presentations etc. They will help in identifying the income sources and partnerships needed to drive the strategy through work such as researching and monitoring funding sources or potential partners in government, foundations, business or academia. The trainee will also support work to develop relationships and partnerships to forward UP’s work on innovation through organising meetings and travel, developing profiles of key people, and supporting work to build relationships.

The postholder will support work to develop and track proposals on funding and partnership collaboration with institutional donors (such as DFID or other funding sources across government), foundations and trusts, or partners in civil society, academia or business and also help bring together information and input for major – sometimes complex - funding proposals and track processes to develop these. As well as providing basic contact liaison with external contacts on this work, the postholder will help to organise events or other initiatives designed to promoteUP’s work on innovation and engage other partners - potentially including a possible major national conference in Cardiff on the theme of ‘innovation for global good’.

The successful candidate will provide some administrative support to the Director of Innovation and Partnerships and wider team involved in this work re. travel, meeting set up, taking notes of discussions and ensuring follow up. Other responsibilities will include liaising with UP programme staff and country offices to distil current or planned programme work that could form part of a developed ‘offering’ to donors and partners around disruptive innovation and helping provide content for UP’s website and other communications channels on UP’s work on innovation and / or the wider innovation landscape. The postholder will also work flexibly on other tasks as required in line with the purpose of the role.

We are looking for a graduate with a real relish and curiosity for new ideas, technology and approaches and how these can be harnessed for social change. With strong intellectual curiosity and analytical skills, they need to be able to direct these towards supporting practical strategies for change. A study background or other exposure to international development /affairs or related field would be a distinct advantage but is not essential. They will need a strong aptitude for action-orientated research and analysis. They should be organised with good attention to detail, have a good ability to work with people and be able to write clearly and analytically. They need to have drive, energy and appetite for lots of hard work, as well as being comfortable and keen to range across work from administration and practical organising to research and analysis.

To apply for this role please send your CV, our Equal Opportunities form (voluntary), a short covering letter (no more than two sides of A4) and the names of two references (one must be your most recent employer) to applications@united-purpose.org by 19th June 2017 quoting ‘Innovations and Partnerships Assistant’ in the subject. All applications will be acknowledged but only successful applications will be contacted further. Referees will not be contacted without your prior permission. Please indicate if you wish to be considered for more than one of the current trainee roles.